Webinar: From data to impact - Four imperatives for turning information into action

Background

To increase access to safe food for all consumers and for international trade, it is essential to have targeted programmes and to formulate a risk ranking of different foodborne hazards. National burden estimates of foodborne diseases are essential for shaping country-level food safety policies. They help prioritize preventive actions on both infectious and non-infectious food hazards based on their health and socioeconomic impacts, thereby informing targeted interventions to reduce disease burdens. Drawing on a recent article published by members of the Country Support Task Force of the WHO Foodborne Disease Burden Epidemiology Reference Group¹, this webinar will highlight four key imperatives – health, economic, planetary boundaries (environment), and governance – underscoring the need for a sustainable framework to quantify national foodborne disease burdens. Foodborne disease disproportionately affects children under five years of age and populations in low- and middle-income countries. The economic consequences are considerable, encompassing healthcare costs, impaired child development, lost productivity, and disruptions to international trade. Climate change and environmental contamination further exacerbate socio-ecological conditions, heightening the risk of foodborne illness². Effective governance is critical in promoting food safety, especially by addressing persistent challenges such as underdiagnosis and underreporting. Strengthening national policies for foodborne disease surveillance and burden estimation is vital for advancing food safety and responding to both national and global health priorities. Evidence-based regulatory and educational interventions can lead to measurable improvements in health outcomes and socioeconomic conditions, particularly for the most vulnerable populations. 

Moderators

Vittorio Fattori
Agrifood Systems and Food Safety Division, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)

Yuki Minato
Technical Officer, Monitoring and Surveillance Nutrition and Food Safety (MNF) Unit, Department of Nutrition and Food Safety, World Health Organization (WHO) 

Speakers

• Dr Karen Keddy, Co-chair of the Country Support Task Force of the WHO Foodborne Disease Burden Epidemiology Reference Group for 2021-2025; Professor, Department of Veterinary Tropical Diseases, Faculty Veterinary Science, University of Pretoria, South Africa 
• Dr Steve Jaffee, University Lecturer, University of Maryland, United States; Former Lead Agricultural Economist of World Bank
• Dr Vittorio Fattori, Agrifood Systems and Food Safety Division, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)
• Dr Roger Cook, Principal Adviser, Science and Risk Assessment, New Zealand 

Tentative agenda (CEST)

11:00 – 11:03                     Welcome and introduction, Dr Luz de Regil

11:03 – 11:10                     The health imperative, Dr Karen Keddy

11:10 – 11:17                      The economic imperative, Dr Steve Jaffee

11:17 – 11:24                      The climate and planetary boundaries imperative, Dr Vittorio Fattori

11:24 – 11:31                      The governance imperative, Dr Roger Cook

11:31 – 11:55                      Questions and answers, co-moderated by FAO and WHO

11:55 – 12:00                      Closing by FAO and WHO

Organizer

Monitoring and Surveillance Nutrition and Food Safety (MNF) Unit, Department of Nutrition and Food Safety

Reference

¹ Keddy KH, Hoffmann S, Founou LL, Estrada-Garcia T, Gobena T, Havelaar AH et al. Quantifying national burdens of foodborne disease—Four imperatives for global impact. PLOS Global Public Health. 2025;5(4):e0004309

² FAO. Climate change: Unpacking the burden on food safety. FAO, editor. Rome, Italy FAO; 2020